ARSENAL lost for the first time in pre-season earlier today, going down 2-1 to Brentford in a training ground friendly.
A second-string Gunners side got some valuable minutes under their belts as the season approaches, but couldn’t overcome Thomas Frank’s men at London Colney.
Bryan Mbeumo beat goalkeeper Matt Turner on nine minutes after being teed up by teenager Ryan Trevitt
Gunners summer signing Marquinhos was denied by new Bees stopper Thomas Strakosha before Arsenal equalised in the 24th minute.
Academy graduates Reiss Nelson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles linked up before finding fellow Colney product Nketiah to equalise.
The strike was Nketiah’s second of pre-season, after he scored in the 3-1 win over Orlando City.
He is set to compete with Gabriel Jesus for a starting berth this season after penning a new long-term £100,000-a-week contract at the end of last season.
Netiah’s effort was Arsenal’s 14th in just five pre-season games this year, but Mikel Arteta’s men couldn’t find another.
In fact, it was Brentford that would soon regain the lead through Trevitt.
The 19-year-old finished in the box after being found by full-back Rico Henry on the stroke of half-time.
